


The dancer and the Prince

by Rogercat



Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms
Genre: Bearded Dwarf Women, DVTW21, Dancing, DiverseTolkienWeek, Falling In Love, Line of Durin, Love at First Sight, Moria | Khazad-dûm, Other, Second Age, Trans Female Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-27
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-18 19:41:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29738892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rogercat/pseuds/Rogercat
Summary: Not all the Dwarrowdams were born female, some are assigned male at birth
Relationships: Original Female Character/Original Male Character
Kudos: 2





	The dancer and the Prince

**Author's Note:**

> This Frerin is a uncle to Durin II, and a OC of mine as well the whole mentioned royal family in this area

Year 720 of the Second Age: 

It was not often Prince Frerin, second son of King Freyr I and Queen Consort Freja of Khazad-dûm, could be found in a common pub for the common Dwarves. Yet since his older twin brother Vern, who had married a few years ago, currently was spending nearly all his time with his wife Skadi in the hope that she soon would fall pregnant with a son, perhaps it was not so strange. 

“Feeling abandoned by your brother, your highness?” the barkeeper asked, offering a free tank of ale for him despite that Vern had just paid for the two tanks he already had drunk tonight. 

“Not really. He has a duty to sire a heir since he is the Crown prince and currently the only one between us two who are married, unless I am the one who ends up with that task.” 

Personally, Frerin prayed that his sister-in-law would be blessed in motherhood soon so Vern and she got some rest. All the attention was on her, forever wondering when the seed of his brother would take root in her womb so she could bless the Line of Durin with a new generation fifteen months later. 

“If your highness would like to know, there is a dance performance near the temple area tonight. Eastern Dwarves, I heard, from the Ironfist Clan.” 

Oh? That was not a common visit. It was true that the seven Dwarf Clans tried to exchange new ideas, knowledge and other kinds of trade between them, sometimes even a possible marriage between two members of the royal lineages if there were both sons and daughters of marriageable age who were not too closely related to each other. But sharing their traditional dances, songs and music was not something often done, because some traditional-minded Dwarves feared that such important parts of the separate Clans' cultures would be lost in bad imitations over time. As such, only those who had works related to those cultural arts were allowed to travel around and show, often being a inheritage of families. 

  
  


When Frerin arrived there, hiding his face with a nice hood so he could blend in among the crowd, the dance performance was already being shown. From what he could see, it was indeed an expanded clan of performers, all trained to learn some skill from childhood that allowed them to be part of the ensemble. 

“Look at that Dam. She is stealing all the attention.”

Indeed, the central Dwarrowdam was indeed eye-catching. Her skin was that of a golden honey tan, matching the chestnut brown colour of her hair and beard, both finely braided with little gold rings into the braids. She wore a loose-fitting, ankle-length shirt made of white cotton, decorated with lace at the neck and cuffs, over which she wore a richly embroidered jacket made from claret velvet. A soft cap of the same velvet seemed to be fastened by her hairpins. 

“A lovely dancer, indeed.”

Perhaps he could write an invitation for the performers to show off their skills for the Line of Durin, after asking his parents for permission first? It would be a nice break from the normal routine, and surely delight his brother and sister-in-law as well. 

~X~X~X~X~X~X 

It was viewed as good manners in public for the audience to give a coin or two for a good performance, and those Dwarves needed money for various expenses such as food and rent for a home, any costs for a musical instrument that needed to be repaired, perhaps new fabric for the costumes. The sort of things that money could be used for. 

“It is always a pleasure to watch the arts of the East, they are not often seen here,” Frerin said as he opened his purse to add a couple of coins in the box for payment. To his delight, it was the Dwarrowdam he had spotted earlier. 

“It is an adventure in itself to travel to the realm founded by Durin the Deathless and be here for a year or two,” she responded in a soft voice, her very movements being sophisticated as a sign that she was undoubtedly familiar with the world of the upper classes. Her family must be well-known and respected at the royal court in the Ironfist Clan. 

As she was standing up close to him, Frerin suddenly realized that there was a separate pattern of the embroidery in her jacket, which was not shared by the other three Dams who had taken part of the performance by playing music or singing. Mentally searching his memory of different symbols for social class, gender and occupation, it dawned on him after a few moments: 

She was one of those Dwarrow who was a female soul born in a male body, a son who identified more as a daughter in behavior and mind. 

But alas, the evening was rather late now, he had to leave and return home to the royal apartments, before he was gone for so long into the night that the royal guards would be sent out by his parents to search for him, 

“My name is  **_Tora._ ** ”

Was it just his imagination, or did she indeed send that stunning smile aimed at him over her shoulder? 

  
  


The following summer, the future Durin II was born to Crown Prince Vern and his wife Skadi. Yet despite the shock over that her son was the reincarnation of Durin the Deathless, the newly-made royal mother seemed more amused over that Frerin did not seem to have noticed that detail about his nephew. 

“Look at that love-stuck expression on the face of your uncle, Durin. He is so enchanted by his sweet dancer that you will have a hard time getting his attention.” 

Well, the royal family was just happy that Frerin had fallen in love, and saw no problem with that Tora would not be able to give him a child. He loved her as she was, not showing any shame over falling in love with a Dwarrowdam who had been assigned male at birth and then revealing her true self some years into childhood when she could explain herself better for the members of her family about why she preferred dresses and had such feminine behavior. 

**Author's Note:**

> Tora is a mtf transgender Dwarrowdam and her clothing is meant to be inspired by the Amalia dress in Greece


End file.
